Man, woman charged with weekend murder in Conroe

Nancy Flake

Published 6:00 pm, Monday, December 20, 2004

Rufino Gutierrez, 28, died Sunday night from his injuries after he was shot in the face during the robbery, which occurred behind the La Placita Taqueria at 121 S. Frazier sometime prior to 2 a.m. Sunday, according to Lt. Russell Reynolds of the Conroe Police Department.

Officers believe Gutierrez was shot in the face and robbed by Michael Ray Ramirez, 21, of Conroe. They aren't sure why Gutierrez was robbed behind the taqueria, which was closed for the night, but "We believe he was lured back there by the female suspect," Reynolds said. The female suspect is Larisa Wheat, 23, of Houston.

Gutierrez was found several hours after the robbery and shooting laying face down on the ground behind the taqueria. "He laid there all night and was alive when officers found him," Russell said. Guitierrez was flown by air ambulance to Hermann Hospital in Houston with a shooting injury to the head.

It's unknown exactly what was taken from Gutierrez during the robbery, but he had no wallet or identification on him when found. He was identified through a match of his fingerprints in the CPD database, according to Reynolds.

Soon after the investigation began, officers were able to identify Ramirez as a suspect and located him at a residence outside the Conroe city limits. The Conroe Police Department SWAT team was called out to arrest Ramirez, which they did without incident, according to officials. He has been booked into the Montgomery County Jail on a murder charge, but no bond has been set yet.

Wheat was located and arrested late Monday afternoon and will also be booked into the jail on a charge of murder.